How To Do Research: 15 Labs for the Social & Behavioral Sciences

Designed to help students make the leap from learning about research to doing research, this manual provides an easy-to-understand walkthrough of the entire research process, from selecting a topic and conducting a literature review through presenting an APA-style paper or presentation. All of the 15 cross-disciplinary labs included are appropriate for use in the social, behavioral, and health sciences, and follow a consistent format: objective, description of a journal article, canned data, examples of what output should look like, pointers on interpreting the output, and a suggested activity for those who wish to collect their own data.

Table of Contents:
PART I: Before You Collect Data LAB 1. Finding a Topic, Finding Sources, and Critically Reading Appropriate Articles Finding a Topic What Are the Steps of a Research Project? Tips for Finding Sources How to Read an Article Closure If You Want to Go Further . . . Secondary Analyses of Large Data Sets Available Online LAB 2: How to Write a Literature Review The Literature Review APA Style If You Want to Go Further . . . Writing “Good” LAB 3: After the Literature Review: Theory > Hypothesis > Design > Analysis > Results > Interpretation The Logic Behind the Research Theory > Hypothesis > Design > Analysis: Method Section Theory > Hypothesis > Design > Analysis > Results Theory > Hypothesis > Design > Analysis > Results > Interpretation If You Want to Go Further . . . Cultural Considerations Pick a Card, Any Card . . . LAB 4: Ethics of Research How to Treat Participants (Human or Otherwise) The Ethics of Reporting Research If You Want to Go Further . . . The Role of the IRB Preparing a Proposal for the IRB What to Expect Once Your Project Has Been Approved PART II: Collecting Data - Research Designs and Tools LAB 5: Qualitative Research Qualitative Research: What Is It, and What Do You Do With It? If You Want to Go Further . . . Content Analysis What’s the Point of All This Qualitative Information? Development of a Grounded Theory Communicating the Results LAB 6: Case Studies and Single-Subject Designs Case Study Versus Single-Subject Design Who Uses Behavior Modification? If You Want to Collect Your Own Data . . . It′s All About You If You Want To Go Further . . . Large-Scale Epidemiology: The Opposite Approach LAB 7: Surveys Types of Survey Questions Writing the Method If You Want To Collect Your Own Data . . . Distributing the Survey Informed Consent—Really, Really Important! Producing the Abbreviated Lab Report If You Want to Go Further . . . Developing the Survey LAB 8: Descriptive and Inferential Statistics Descriptive Versus Inferential Statistics Scales of Measurement T-Test Closure If You Want to Go Further . . . More About Effect Size Types of Effect Size Statistics How Big Is Big Enough? To Summarize Reviewing What You′ve Learned: Answer Key LAB 9: Correlational Design Experimental Versus Non-Experimental If You Want to Collect Your Own Data . . . Closure If You Want to Go Further . . . Partial Correlations LAB 10: Regression Analysis A Step Up Practice and Review Summing Up If You Want to Go Further . . . Hierarchical Regression LAB 11: Two-Group Designs The Two-Group Design If You Want to Collect Your Own Data . . . Be the Participant Levels of Processing Data If You Want to Go Further . . . Chi-Squared Analysis LAB 12: Multiple-Groups Designs Going Beyond the Two-Group Design If You Want to Collect Your Own Data . . . Cautions! Putting It All Together If You Want to Go Further . . . Categorical IVs and DVs in Regression Coding Categorical Predictor Variables for Regression Logistic Regression LAB 13: Factorial Designs Background Are We There Yet? More Practice With Interactions If You Want to Go Further . . . More About Testing Interactions What Happens With Categorical Predictors? What Happens With Repeated-Measures Data? Answers for More Practice With Interactions PART III: After Collecting Data LAB 14: Writing the Discussion Section, Sharing Your Findings Using a Poster or Oral Presentation Discussion Section Checklist Creating and Presenting a Poster Preparing an Oral Presentation of Your Findings Closure If You Want to Go Further . . . The Publication Process: What to Expect When You’re Submitting LAB 15: Tables and Figures Tables Figures How Do I Create a Figure? Using SPSS If You Want to Collect Your Own Data . . . If You Want to Go Further . . . A Few More (Optional) Things In Conclusion

About the Author :
Dr. Jane Gaultney is professor of Psychology and a faculty member of the Health Psychology PhD Program at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.  She has taught Research Methods for many years (never mind exactly how many), and uses the labs in this manual as teaching tools on a regular basis.  She received a PhD in Psychology from Florida Atlantic University.  Her current research program looks at sleep and its association with cognitive, behavioral, and health outcomes.